Lehigh English Department Graduate Student Blog

Third Annual Literature and Social Justice Conference!

On behalf of the Lehigh University English Department and the conference committee, I’m thrilled to announce that our third annual Literature and Social Justice Graduate Conference will take place on March 10-11, 2017 in Bethlehem, PA! The theme for the conference is Borders and Violence, which we believe will foster exciting and productive conversations about timely issues. We encourage graduate students and independent scholars to check out the CFP and submit an abstract by October 15, 2016. Also, make sure to visit the conference website which will be updated soon, and keep an eye out for future related blog posts, including advice about how to write and submit an abstract.

Image from last year’s conference during the faculty round table held in the Global Commons.

This year’s conference committee, composed of Kyle Brett, Joanna Grim, Dashielle Horn, Evan Reibsome, Sam Sorensen, and myself, strives to build upon the success of our previous conferences. Last year’s conference, centered on Public Humanities, showcased amazing work by scholars committed to bridging the gap that often exists between literary studies and the general public [Editor’s Note: Check out this article by Dana reflecting on last year’s conference!]. This year, in addition to continuing the discussion about how to breach the academic/public divide, we hope to examine other constructed borders, as well as the violence that often erupts at these sites of conflict and resistance.

On a personal note, I have had the privilege of being involved with the conference since its inception, first as a presenter and then as a member of the conference committee. I am excited about planning this year’s conference, and I hope to see you in Bethlehem next March!